When Ubisoft first released Watch_Dogs in 2014, it was the biggest new IP launch in UK history. It might have not have gone down so well with the critics, but players lapped up its cyberpunk twist on Rockstar's GTA formula. As a result, it's not really that surprising that we've now got a sequel on the cards - Watch_Dogs 2
Officially announced during a live unveiling event on the 8th June, we now have plenty of juicy details about this forthcoming, open-world hack-athon, so to make sure you're up to speed with all things Watch Dogs, we've rounded up everything we know so far into one handy article, including its release date, gameplay trailers and more.
First gameplay footage at E3
We've finally got out first, relatively lengthy glimpse of some actual live gameplay of Watch Dogs 2 during the Ubisoft E3 conference on 13th June. In it, we see the game's wise-cracking protagonist, Marcus Holloway, infiltrates a politician's home in an effort to expose some juicy secrets, with the help of some friends.
Piloting a drone to scout out the area first and using a crane to get to the roof, Marcus hacks his way around the building quite stealthily, especially thanks to new non-lethal takedown options. Things eventually blow up, though, with frantic action and nail-bitingly tense scenes as Marcus waits for a file transfer. It all culminates with a gorgeous view of San Francisco as the hacker escapes the guards and police, via a lengthy zip wire extraction.
At first glance, it looks like there's much more character to the sequel, with frequent jokes and interesting dialogue. It seems the game is much more light-hearted than the drabness of the first one's gritty story about revenge. Of course, the game looks gorgeous, yet whether or not the visuals make it to the final version remains to be seen.
Release date
From its initial reveal, the first Watch Dogs took a lengthy two years to finally come out, and by that time it could be argued that a lot of people had lost interest. Ubisoft seems to be learning from its mistakes this time around, though, as Watch Dogs 2 will be launching on the 15th November 2016 for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.
Gameplay details and trailers
The initial announcement trailer shows us it's going to be set in an entirely new location from the first game, and it will also feature a new protagonist, ditching Chicago in favour of San Francisco and Silicon Valley, and replacing Aiden Pierce with Marcus Holloway.
Video of Watch Dogs 2 Trailer: Cinematic Reveal - E3 2016 [US]
Just like in the first Watch Dogs, you’ll be able to hack into San Francisco’s infrastructure, but now you'll be able to hack AI characters as well and play with the city systems, such as sending cops out to arrest people, or hack environmental remote control devices like cranes to access vantage points. There’s also the new RC car and flying drone to use during combat and stealth sections, too.
The villains will yet again be the guys behind CtOS, the operating system that controls the city. Marcus experienced problems with the CtOS system first hand and now wants to help the people that the system has wronged. Joining hacking group, Dedsec, he'll be tasked with trying to stop CtOS's surveillance and collection of data throughout the game’s campaign.
The team behind Watch Dogs 2 say they have expanded the multiplayer side of things from the first game as well, with the ability to just find friends in the open world, with a seamless integration between solo and online play. It’s not yet known whether the invasion mechanic from the first game will be in Watch Dogs 2, but we can expect more gameplay details and trailers to be revealed at E3 next week.
Special editions and pre-order bonuses explained
As is typical with game launches nowadays, there's a range of Watch Dogs 2 special editions to get your head round as well, all of which have plenty of tantalising extras if you're into that sort of thing. The Standard game is priced at £45 at GAME, but there's also the Deluxe Edition available for £50 at GAME, which includes the game, an exclusive sleeve, a San Francisco Map, lithographs and digital customisation items.
There’s also the Gold Edition, which includes the game, all the deluxe edition goodies and the season pass, currently priced at £80 on Amazon for PS4 and Xbox One, but £70 at GAME for PC owners.
Finally, there’s the San Francisco Edition with its collector’s box, which includes the game, extra digital content: the Deluxe pack and Zodiac killer mission, the Marcus Figurine, San Francisco themed laptop stickers, lithographs, and a San Francisco Map. This costs £85 on Amazon.
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